Dirigible airship



Oct. 15, 1929. v. E. EDWARDS DIRIGIBLE AIRSHIP Filed March 9, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Oct. 15, 1929. v. E. EDWARDS 1,732,040

DIRIGIBLE AIRSHIP Filed March 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYJ'.

Patented Oct. 15, 1929 PATENT OFFICE VAN EVERY EDWARDS, OF WASHINGTON,DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DIBIGIBLE AIRSHIP Application filed March 9, 1929.Serial No. 345,842.

My invention relates to dirigible air ships and has for its object toimprove the construction of the same 'in several particulars to behereinafter pointed out. The accompanying drawings are diagrammatic incharacter, no attempt being made to illustrate the details ofconstruction, and many parts not directly associated with the inventionbeing omitted.

Figure 1 is a central transverse sectional view of an air ship embodyingthe present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view partly broken away of the same;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the adjustable nose of theship; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

In these drawings 2 designates the containers for the gas employed asthe lifting agent of the ship. These containers are preferably in theform of metallic tanks con structed of thin sheet metal, of whichseveral alloys of metals, in which aluminum is the principal ingredient,are now commercially available. Suifice it to say that the walls of thetank are exceedingly thin in order to insure the requisite lightness.

3 designates the hull, which serves as the main longitudinal framemember of the ship. It is diagrammatically represented as provided witha plurality of decks 4, forming compartments, the lowermost of WhlCh mayserve as a receptacle for water ballast, another as a passengercompartment, another for freight, and another for the engine and othermachinery incident to the navigation of the vessel. The gas tanks andthe hull are represented as being of elongated cylindrical, cigar-shapeform, prefer-.

ably pointed at both ends. The vessel represented has three gas tanks 2and the hull 3, which may be of equal size and are uniformly disposedabout a common center, the hull occupying the lower central position.

The series of cylindrical bodies, the three gas tanks and the hull, aresuitably braced and supported with reference one to the so other bymeans that do not constitute a part of the invention and therefore arenot illustrated, except diagrammatically at 24.

Surrounding the ship and encircling the as tanks and the hull are aseries of broad bands 6. These serve as strengthening members and alsoas guiding members to hold the ship in its course during flight. Each ofthe bands is concentric with the central longitudinal axis of the ship.Between each of the cylindrical bodies, 2 and 3, are spaces freely opento the external air and these spaces are bridged by the bands 6 whichthus serve as stationary guiding elements, disposed so as to hold thecourse of the ship while in flight in the line of the central axisthereof. 22 indicates a vertical fin longitudinally disposedabove theupper gas tank 3, and 23, 23 horizontal side fins projecting outwardlybeyond the side tanks 2, 3. These in connection with the bands 6 willeffectively hold the ship in its course. I

A second set of inner bands 7 are arranged inside and between theseveral cylindrical bodies, 2 and 3, of the ship, these supplementingthe outer bands as strengthening and direction maintaining means. 4

Upon theiupper portion of the hull there is a platform 5, or a series ofplatforms, through which are the hatchways leading into the interior ofthe hull. Upon these platforms may be mounted the frames 29 supportingthe shafts of the propellers 8 by which the ship is driven, throughgearing 30. The propellers are located within the central circular spacesurrounded by the inner bands 7.

At the forward end of the ship there is mounted an adjustable steeringnose 9 mounted just in advance of the forward ends of the tanks 2 andthe hull 3. This nose consists of a conical portion 10 and a housing 13,preferably s uare, to the rear of the conical part and etween it and theends of the cylindrical members 2 and 3. Secured to the outside of thenose are a pair of horizontal fins 11 and another pair of vertical fins12. The nose is sup orted upon a universal joint 14 uniting 1t with abeam 15 extending forwardly from a suitable mounting or connection 31carried by the hull, the

beam entering the interior of the nose and being rigid with theframework of the ship.

16 designates a cross shaft screw-threaded at its middle portion in anut member 32 carried by the beam 15; and 17 indicates a verticallydisposed shaft the middle portion of which is screw threaded and engageswith the nut member 32. At the ends of the shafts 16 and 17 are heads 18that have bearing engagement with wear plates 19 carried respectively bythe side walls and the top and bottom of the square housing portion 13of the nose. This housing constitutes a cabin that may be occupied bythe steersman of the ship. 20 is a wheel fast upon the shaft 16 by whichit may be turned, and 21 a similar wheel fast upon the shaft 17. It willbe seen that whenever one of these wheels is turned, the shaft to whichit is secured, by reason of its engagement with the nut member rigidlysupported with reference to the hull or framework of the ship, will hemoved longitudinally and the head 18 at the end of theshaft which isbeing advanced will bear against the wall of the housing 13 and causethe. nose to turn upon its pivot. A turning of the horizontal shaft inone direction will cause the nose to point toward the right and aturning in the opposite direction to point toward the left, whereas theturning of the vertical shaft will cause the nose to be elevated ordepressed accordingly as the shaft is rotated in one direction or theother. As the nose is provided with the external steering fins 11 and 12its turning upon its pivot will operate to direct the ship in the coursethat it is desired it should take. I have represented the wheels 20 and21 as similar to a stecrsmans wheel upon a ship and these may beoperated by an operator or operators within the housing 13. Howeverthese parts are merely typical and for them may be substituted ifdesired mechanically operated steering gear as will be understood.

28 indicates a hose, of which one or more may be used, intended to belet down from the hull when the ship is about to make a landing uponwater, and through which water may be pumped into the water ballastcompartment of the hull thus serving to weight the ship so that it willbe caused to easily settle upon the water where it will rest, the hullportion thereof being more or less immersed during the period it is atrest.

While I have in the accompanying drawings illustrated a dirigible airship in which are incorporated three-gas tanks and a single hull, allcylindrical in shape and of approximately the same diameter, I desire itto be understood that my invention is not limited to an air ship inwhich are only three gas tanks, as the number of these may be variedfrom what i shown; and also that the size of the hull relative to thesize of the gas tanks may be varied, without departing from should thisbe required or for gas serving directly as part of the lifting agenciesof the ship.

What I claim is:

1. A dirigible air ship comprising in its construction a series of gastanks and a hull, these elements being disposed about the longitudinalaxis of the ship and spaced apart with the hull arranged lowermost, aseries of bands encircling these parts and uniting them and a series ofinner bands concentric with those of the first series and uniting thesaid elements.

2. A dirigible air ship comprising in its construction a series of gastanks and a hull, these parts being arranged about the longitudinal axisof the ship. encircling bands uniting such members and assisting inbolding them in fixed relation with each other, the hull being in thelowermost part of the ship, and means for propelling the ship supportedabove the hull and located in the space surrounded by the aforesaidelements of the ship.

3. A dirigible air ship comprising in its constru'ction a set ofrelatively long gas tanks and a relatively long hull, these elementsbeing arranged about the longitudinal axis of the ship with the hull inthe lowermost portion, means for holding these elements in fixedrelation to each other, including a set of inner bands uniting the innerportions of the said elements one with the other, and means forpropelling the ship through the air supported bythe hull and above thesame, located in the space bounded by the said inner bands, saidelements being spaced apart to permit airto pass freely to theship-propelling means both from the front and sides.

4. A dirigible air ship comprising in its construction a nose pivotallyconnected with the frameworkthereof, the nose having a forward pointedend provided with exterior air vanes or fins, and a housing to the rearof the pointed portion serving as a cabin or shelter for the steersman,and mechanism within the said housing by which the nose may be turnedwith reference to the body of the ship to direct its course.

5. A dirigible air ship corn rising in its construction a series of gastan s and a hull, these elements bein more or less similar in shape andarrange about the longitudinal axis of the ship, means for uniting theseelements and holding them in fixed relation to each other with the hulllocated in the lowermost position, a frame element extendnig forwardlyfrom the hull, a nose having a universal pivotal connection with thesaid frame element, air vanes or fins carried by the nose, screwthreaded shafts supported in screw threaded bearings carried by theforwardly projecting frame element, such shafts being arranged at rightangles one to the other and having engagement with the nose at theirrespective ends, and means whereby the shafts may be turned in theirbearings to cause them to move longitudinally and through such movementturn the nose upon its pivotal support and thereby direct the course ofthe ship.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

VAN EVERY EDWARDS.

